Automobile signal light



p 1935 1A. FossuM,,JR 1,998,157

AUTOMOBILE S IGNAL LIGHT Filed May 29, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irvvsrv7017. 025.51% fOSSA/M Jfi.

A ril 16,1935. J, A, FOSSUM, JR 1,998,157

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LIGHT Filed May 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 6,1935. J. A. FOSSUM, JR

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LIGHT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 29, 1933 vlllnrnn 1WV/V T06. JOSEPH /7. E55 11/? J.

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNl'lEl) sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 1Claim- Thisinvention relates to a combination backing and signaling light adaptedto be mounted on the rear of a motor vehicle and controlled by thedriver.

It is an object of my invention to provide a compact construction of theclass referred to, including a clear lens'and means for projecting lightfor backing purposes and means in association with the same lens givingan illuminated backing or reverse sign when the motor vehicle is backedand for giving from the same lens an illuminated stop signal when thetravel of the car is checked as by applying the brakes or releasing theclutch.

An important feature of the invention is the cooperation of a pluralityof differently colored light sources with a single lens having portionscolored variously, said lights being mounted in a common chamber back ofsaid lens whereby when a certain colored light is illuminated it willhave the efiect of intensifying the color transmitted through one of theportions of the lens and will serve by contrast with other portions ofthe lens to render the illuminating effect therefrom more or lessopaque.

It is a further object to provide a combination baoking' and signalinglight wherein the several elements for signaling stop and reverse, atail light and a, backing light are compactly coordinated and mounted ina single casing adapted to'be supported at the rear of a motor vehicle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one form of the invention detachedfrom'the motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken centrally or axially through thecasing; T

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 2looking in the direction of the upper arrow or toward the lens;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 2looking in the direction of the lower arrow or toward the electriclamps;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally and centrally througha somewhat different form of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a front View of the same.

With reference to'the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a suitable andsymmetrical casing, indicated as an entirety by the letter C is provided(on. ii-s27) having a tapered ovoidal periphery and terminating in aclosed rear end and an open front end provided with an edge to which thelenses are secured. Casing C is characterized by a lower or main portionl substantially oval shaped in cross section and an upper portion l lwhich may if desired be integral with the lower portion, of arcuatecross section.

A suitable reflector I2 is mounted within the lower portion I0 of easingC dividing the forward portion of the interior of the easing into upperand lower light chambers A and B respectively. The forward end ofreflector I2 is open and is nested snugly, at its lower and sideportions within the lower portion II] of easing C. A mounting plate i3is secured to the lower peripheral wall of easing C and projectssubstantially vertically being secured to therear of reflector [2. In'said plate three electric lamp sockets l4 are mounted, the open ends ofsaid sockets projecting within reflector l2 and arranged horizontally inspaced relation. A colorless lamp bulb I5 is mounted in the centralsocket and substantially centrally of reflector l2 and electric lamps I6and ll of contrasting colors, say red and blue, respectively, aremounted in opposite sides of the colorless lamp l5.

The rim of the lower portion ll! of the casing is provided with a.flanged lens seat IS in which a suitable lens ll! of oval shape issecured. A retaining strip 20 may be provided in cooperation with thelens seat for yieldingly securing the lens in the proper operativeposition.

'The greater portion of the lens I9 is uncolored to emit light forilluminating the road at the rear of the car, but in the central portionof the lens and preferably on its rear face coloring material isprovided for cooperation with the various light colors produced by thebulbs I6 and I1. As shown a disk 2| of colored material (for example red40 paint or a piece of red celluloid) is coated or aflixed to thecentral portion of lens l9 and at the upper portion of said disk andembracing the same an arcuate panel 22' of paint of 'a contrasting coloror celluloid or the equivalent is aflixed -to the lens. The panel hassomewhat opaque characters printed thereon which transmit less lightthan the body of the panel. As shown, the word reverse printed inverselyis produced upon the panel 22.

At the edge of the upper portion ll of the casing an arcuate shaped lens23 is mounted in a suitable flanged seat it, retained, as shown, by astrip 25. Lens 23 may be of colored glass or the rear of the car.

equivalent and is preferably colored red to act as the tail light forthe motor vehicle on which my signal is mounted. A red lamp 26 ismounted directly behind lens 23 attached to a suitable electrical socket21 which is supported from a plate 28 attached to the upper peripheralwall of the upper casing ll.

Casing C may be attached to the rear fender or back of the car in anysuitable manner and as shown I have provided an inverted channel shapedsupporting bracket 29 having an attachment flange 29a spot welded orotherwise secured to the rear and lower portion of casing C and havingan attachment flange 291) which may be bolted, riveted or otherwisesecured to a suitable supporting portion of the automobile.

The electrical service wires for the several lamps I 5, 16, I1 and 26may conveniently pass through the rear of the casing C and through thechannel 29 where they are concealed.

It will be noted that the reflector 12 is directed downwardly andrearwardly and that the lens 19 at the outer end thereof is inclinedwith respect to the vertical to some extent to more efliciently transmitlight rays in a desired direction rearwardly of the-motor vehicle.

The electrical circuit for the colorless backing light I5 preferablyincludes a hand switch which may be conveniently mounted on theinstrument board to facilitate control by the driver.

The electrical circuit for the red Stop light l6 includes preferably asuitable switch of conventional type operated upon depression of theclutch the gear shift lever when the same is thrown into reverseposition.

In operation when the speed of the motor vehicle is. checked as byreleasing the clutch or putting on the brake, the red light I 6 andreflector I2 will be illuminated, causing red light rays to be emanatedfrom the clear portion of the lens 19 giving a noticeable red signal atthe The central red disk 2| will stand out prominently since the colorof the light passing through the same (red) is the same as that of thedisk itself. On the other hand the arcuate reverse signalling portion 22of the lens will be rendered more or less opaque due to the fact thatred light rays pass through the blue arcuate portion of the lensblending to form a deep purplish color which is not seen for any greatdistance from the device.

When the blue light I! is illuminated by the shifting of the gears intoreverse speed then the arcuate panel 22 of the lens indicating reversewill show a solid blue color and the entire body of lens l9 will be afaint blue and at this time the blue rays passing through the red disk2| at the center of the lens will cause the disk to appear more or lessopaque or a dark purplish color which will not be readily noticed.

When it is desired to use the backing light it is only necessary tothrow the hand switch, whereupon a beam of light is thrown rearwardlyand downwardly from the back of the car illuminating the highway andditches to facilitate backing.

Lamp 26 in chamber A functions in the usual manner of a tail light.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a somewhat different form of the invention isillustrated comprising a symmetrically shaped casing C which may besecured to the rear fender or other portion of the. rear end of a motorvehicle by suitable means such as a bracket 30 of the type described inconnection with the first form of the invention. The lower portionwithin casing C is provided with a somewhat downwardly directedreflector 3| in which is mounted a backing light 32. A clear lens 33covers the front of reflector 3| and is secured in a suitable flangedseat.

The central portion of the interior of casing C is divided into a taillight compartment 34 by means of the upper portion of reflector 3| andan angular partition 35. A mounting plate 36 as shown is affixed to therear of the interior of casing C and extends upwardly and forwardlyterminating in a flange which is secured against the bottom of theangular partition 35. A tail light 31 is mounted in a suitable socket31a which is supported by a depending aperture at the extremity of themounting plate 36. A narrow lens 38 extending across the face of casingC and secured in an appropriate flanged seat completes the tail lightchamber and is preferably colored red.

The angular partition 35 divided ofi the upper portion of the interiorof easing C to form a signal chamber 39 wherein electrical lamps 40 and4! of contrasting colors are mounted. Said lamps are connected withsuitable sockets 42 mounted in the rear and vertical portion of theangular partition 35. As shown the lamp 40 is colored red while the lamp4| is colored blue. The lens 43 for the signalling compartment may befrosted and is preferably uncolored throughout the greater portionthereof but has disposed upon the rear surface thereof two panels 44 and45 respectively indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The panels may beconstructed of paint or other coloring material such as celluloid andthe upper panel 44 as shown is colored red and has somewhat opaquecharacters printed thereon indicating the word Stop. The lower panel 45as shown is colored blue-and has printed thereon the word Reverse insomewhat opaque characters.

When the red lamp 40 is illuminated the red panel 44 emanates a brightred light being of similar color to the said light rays and the bluepanel 45 is rendered more or less opaque or of a deep purplish colorwhich is not noticeable a considerable distance from the rear of thecar. When the blue lamp 4| is illuminated the blue panel is intensifiedin color while the upper red panel 44 emits little light and is renderedmore or less opaque by the contrasting color of the light rays and thered panel of the lens.

The operation of the backing lamp 32 and its reflector and light chamberis similar to that described in the first form of the invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have invented avery compact combination backing and signalling light adapted toautomatically signal stop or reverse at the appropriate times, furtherfunctioning as a -tail lamp as well as providing an efficient light forbacking purposes. It further will be seen that by the cooperation of thecontrasting portions of the signal lens with the colored rays of lightemitted from the lamp, color transmitted through one of the portions ofthe lens is intensified while another portion of the lens is renderedmore or less opaque.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, proportions and arrangement, of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated,consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forthand in the novel parts and combinations-of parts disclosed and definedin the appended claim.

What is claimed is:--

-A signal of the class described having in combination, a light chamber,a lens associated with said chamber having the greater portion of itsbody substantially colorless and adapted for substantially unobstructedpassage of light therethrough, said lens having a relatively smallportion thereof colored to constitute of itself a signal when certainlight rays are'passed therethrough and having another relatively smallportion closely adjacent said first portion colored a contrasting colorto of itself constitute a second signal when certain light rays arepassed therethrough, at least three lamps within said either of saidcolored lamps is lighted the signalling portion of a color similarthereto will appear brightly illuminated, the signalling portioncontrasting therewith will appear more or.

less opaque and whereby when said white lamp is lighted the greater andtransparent portion of said lens will freely transmit light therefrom tobrightly illuminate objects within thefield of distribution of thetransmitted light.

JOSEPH A. FOSSUM, JR.

selectively lighting said lamps whereby when

